"Good job kids!" Mephisto winked cheerfully as the group tumbled onto the floor of his office in a blinding white light, paying no mind to their staining of his carpet with spots of red. Upon the opening of the pouch, everyone was transported back once again. It was a nauseous feeling, especially now that everyone was exhausted and suffered injuries from the battle as well.

Mephisto took out his personal medical supplies immediately and noticed that Amaimon and Amaya were not with the group. His younger brother had most probably brought her back to Gehenna to rest; and Mephisto didn't need any answers as to where Lord Vulcan was, the responses were already clear on the faces of the exorcists. It was a common knowledge that hardly anyone would be able to escape the forbidden place alive.

Behemoth had come by a few minutes earlier and had left Izumo Kamiki in his care; the exwire was barely alive, mainly because of how Illuminati had placed their priority on the stronger demon instead. Mephisto had brought Izumo to recover in his private ward, the student was still in shambles despite the supposedly lesser injuries inflicted, and the connection between Illuminati and her birthright was under investigation.

It took a long while for everyone to settle down and to get their breathing back to a steady rhythm. Yukio had managed to escape with a fractured arm and although Shura had suffered a lot of cuts, her wounds were not life threatening. All of the exorcists were being relocated to his private ward soon afterwards, with Shiemi tending to their care as well. Sophine was being moved to a single room all by herself, and she wasn't doing well, barely hanging on to her life by a thin thread.

Rin, who was covered in bandages, began to ramble as he felt dissatisfied by the outcome of the faceoff, "I didn't even manage to cut down many of those demons!" Konekomaru was listening to his story intently while Bon simply stared in disbelief as Rin started describing some of the mutations that they had seen.

"You should be thankful, brother." Yukio commented quietly and reminded his brother of the sacrificial act, "We wouldn't have stood a chance at all without them, Amaimon and Sophine. Your life was saved by the ice demon." Rin turned silent at the mention of her name, turning away as his expression was being replaced by grief and guilt.

"The news of Illuminati Hokkaido headquarter being razed to ground had been brought to the Vatican." Mephisto spoke, interrupting the sudden silence, "There were news that the blue flames of Satan was present on scene too."

"Did the Vatican issue any decrees regarding that? It isn't looking good for you, Rin," Shura rubbed her temples, coughing as she did so, she would have to protect her student if Vatican was not in their favour. The Vatican was still in debate with regards to Rin, if they were to find out that Rin had done something that had put the exorcists in a difficult spot or to misuse his powers, Rin might get imprisoned for life, or worst, the death penalty.

Rin stared at Mephisto, biting his lips as he waited for the principal to speak. Kuro rubbed against Rin's leg in affection, trying to ease the tension in the room, the familiar having appeared as soon as he had heard that Rin was home.

"Don't worry," Mephisto continued, noticing the unease on the exorcists' faces, "Amaimon's appearance had thrown both the Illuminati and Vatican off your tracks. I supposed that the Vatican is now listing this as a queer case as I have assured them that Amaimon's interference has nothing to do with us and it's only a personal agenda against our elder brother. In short, we were never in the headquarter at all."

"…Heh," Shura shook her head in disapproval, "You shrewd man, to think that you would even use your little brother in this way."

"It's inevitable." A small smile curled up on Mephisto's face as a mischievous glint lit up in his eyes, "We have to win." Even if it meant putting Amaimon down in Vatican's page, that the Earth King was to be hunted down. *

"How are you feeling now?" Mephisto sat in the chair next to the ice demon, finally paying her a visit. The small ward was in darkness, there was only the flickering soft glow of the lamp by the bedside that had illuminated her pale face.

Sophine was lying down on the bed, her body was no longer mobile as her eyes stared listlessly at the ceiling. No matter how much she had willed her limbs to move, there was no response from her body. Small cracks had appeared on her petite frame, as if she had been made of glass; the porcelain doll was breaking apart and the demon knew that her end was near.

"…" Her body was unresponsive but at the very least she could speak; her five senses were alive despite the dead body, was this how it felt like to be in a vegetative state? Her face was impassive as she murmured, her voice was barely a whisper in the flutter of breeze. "Poison."

It was a lethal dose of toxic, it was the very same poison that Amaimon had offered decades ago, and Illuminati had cultivated it that had become so potent. "Illuminati have some really dangerous bioweapons, huh." Mephisto patted her head, trying to comfort her in the smallest way he could. The attack from Fiore had broken her host's body and the poison had even sapped away her demonic powers. "Thank you for helping me, Sophine."

"Mephisto," Sophine was breathing very hard as she tried to convey her words, there was something else that she had wanted to say, something much more important.

"I know, I will help you defeat the Illuminati." Mephisto was aware that although Sophine had learnt of his selfish intentions, which was the ultimate goal of becoming King himself but despite that, she had still trusted the King of Time inarguably. "Or is it becoming a good King myself?"

"No," Sophine struggled to speak, Mephisto was clutching her hands tightly, and her palm had become so cold, as cold as blizzard, and she was fading fast. "Please stop thinking of them… as your pieces of chess…"

"…" Mephisto didn't answer, surprised at her words, and mostly because he knew he never would make a promise he couldn't keep.

Sophine smiled sadly, her words coming in bits and pieces, "I had always hoped that…. one day, he would look at me the same way…. The same way …. he looked at Amaya... One day…"

"Amaimon, go and greet your bride to be." Satan had gestured Amaimon but his child had only stared at the pale woman in displeasure. "I don't want to." '

This is ridiculous," Amaimon looked on in disinterest, what was Father thinking, arranging a marriage amongst demons? What demon was she even, she looked like she could barely stand.

The ice demon smiled shyly, her eyes that had once shone bright like diamonds twinkled in happiness; she was gazing at the Prince in fervent admiration. She clutched the sleeve of her demon father timidly, a Lord of Satan, as her father tried to betroth his child to one of the Eight Kings.

"Give her to Astaroth or something," Amaimon turned on his heels and exited Satan's palace, leading to an awkward situation in the grand hall of Gehenna.

Lucifer shook his head in displeasure, murmuring something about Amaimon having no manners as he sauntered forward, taking the meek princess's hand in his, giving a light kiss on the back. "I apologize for my younger brother's behavior."

Lucifer was charmingly attractive but the ice demon's attention was never on him. Mephisto had encouraged Sophine to follow after Amaimon's retreating back, the two older brothers trying to salvage the failed relationship as Mephisto muttered about something, 'Amaimon is indeed a lot of work.'

Sophine hurried after Amaimon; and days after days, she tried to pry open Amaimon's heart but to no avail. Amaimon was only interested in killing lesser demons for entertainment, challenging various stronger demon lords and he had no time to spare for the female demon.

Sophine was disheartened, Amaimon's brutal killings were getting to her. He was high and almighty; his power and arrogance that had attracted her in the beginning was fading fast. One day, Sophine eventually decided to leave, agreeing to break the marriage vow before it could even begin.

"Whatever are you doing all these for?" Mephisto had asked Amaimon, he knew that his younger brother wasn't a bloodthirsty demon, he was simply a person who was bored and apathetic.

"…She is boring." Amaimon chewed his lollipop as he gazed upon the dark landscape of Gehenna, an orange glow in the far distance had caught his attention, "I have no need for people who don't have any strength."

"Am I finally strong enough to pique your interest, Amaimon?"At the bitter mention of his name, the ice demon finally disintegrated, dispersing into small snowflakes that evaporated.

"…After all those years…" Mephisto murmured, the feeling of her touch had lingered coldly, "Your former fiancé, you had never forgotten about him, those feelings..."

Mephisto turned to stare at the blinds, seemingly speaking to nothing in particular, "This time, you have to protect Amaya dearly."

The King of Earth was leaning against the covered glass window, staring wordlessly at the magnificent landscape of the school, the lollipop in his hand dangling as he thought of the once insignificant memory.

'I am glad that you are able to love someone dearly, Amaimon, even if that person is not me.'